Just the Beginning
by mikey magee
Summary: Spoilers for The Storybook of Legends. Legacy Day is over, and now the students of Ever After High must return home for the weekend to reaffirm their destinies, or at least that's how it used to go. Now, uncertain of the road ahead the Royals and the Rebels must look within themselves to discover who they are, and what it is they really want.
1. Apple White

Apple White couldn't believe what just happened. How could Raven Queen have been so selfish? So…evil? With one swift rip she had torn their destinies asunder, leaving nothing in its wake but uncertainty. Every year after Legacy Day, the second year students return home for the weekend to meet with their parents and discuss the future of their story. When Apple was younger, she didn't think those meetings were necessary. You pledge your destiny, sign the book and let fate take its course. There was always something comforting about that thought: Destiny. Fate. A life that could never be altered. But now…there were no such things.

The carriage ride back to her home was short, there the seven dwarfs stood to open the carriage and usher her towards her mother.

Her mother. Snow White. The woman she adored more than anything. The castle looked the same as ever. Same laced curtains that welcomed the sunlight, same red carpet that warmed the floors in winter, and the same throne room she and her mother played in when the weather was too damp.

There, upon the throne that Apple had hoped would be hers someday, sat her mother, Snow White. Her lips were as red as any flower, and her long dark hair flowed to her shoulders like a veil.

She smiled. "Apple, darling you're home." She rose and outstretched her arms, waiting for a hug. "You must tell me all about your Legacy Day. You must be so excited."

Apple felt her hands tremble. How could she tell her? The horrible deed that Raven Queen had done. How she placed them all in jeopardy, how she ruined the timeless tale forever and forever after that.

"Mother…there is something I need to tell you. It's about Raven Queen."

Snow White removed her hand from her daughter's shoulder. She had met Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen and The Good King. There was always something wrong about Raven…something not right. When others were in trouble Raven would do her best to help, when people made fun of her, she did her best to shrug them off, and there were times when Snow White saw the young enchantress singing by a field of wildflowers…as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"What of her?"

Snow White did her best to make Raven feel welcomed when she and her father did visit, but there was this gnawing suspicion in her mind that Raven would turn out to be one of the vilest enchantresses that ever cast a spell, and she always feared for her daughter's safety when the witch was around, as sweet as Raven appeared, she was still destined to be the next evil queen.

"Raven has done something horrible."

Snow White's heart sank. What could she have done? Was she really that anxious to fulfill her destiny? She really was like her mother?

Snow White bent down, trying to calm her daughter as much as possible. "Please, my darling, tell me what happened. What has she done?"

Apple held her head high, trying to fight back her tears. She steadied her breath and straightened her back. She needed to be brave. "She refused to become the next evil queen."

Somehow everything froze. Was that even possible? To refuse one's own destiny? Raven was a very sweet girl, from what Snow White had witnessed, but evil was what Raven truly was. How could she fight her own nature? How could she willingly put the story of Snow White in danger? Even her own mother, the woman who sought to rule Ever After, wasn't so cold hearted.

"Mother…everyone at school saw Raven rip her page out of the Storybook of Legends. She…she's ruined our story, and now, these _Rebels_ allied themselves with her. The school and all of Ever After are in so much danger." She fought hard not to cry, but the tears just wouldn't stop. "I-I don't know what to do." Apple closed her eyes, the Happily Ever After she wanted was gone and now…there was nothing left.

Snow White rose. "There is only one thing to do my daughter." She smiled. "You must return the story to where it once was. You must return Raven to her rightful place was the evil Queen so that you can take your place as the heroine of the story."

Apple sniffled. "I've tried, but she won't listen and now-"

Snow White placed her hand on her daughter's shoulders. "I know, but as the future queen you must be ready to face all challenges. Big or small." Snow White kissed her daughter on the cheek (an old way of comforting her) "I know you can do it. I know you can save the story."

Apple White took a deep breath and nodded. She had to return Raven to her proper role, only then could everything return to what it once was. She was to be the next queen and it was her job to keep everyone safe.

She would not let Raven destroy anyone else's story.


	2. Hunter Huntsman

It didn't take long for Hunter Huntsman to return to his family's cottage for the weekend. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a little nervous. He kind of wished the journey had taken longer, at least then he'd be able to process what had happened a little better. His stomach felt like it was being chopped down from the inside, and his mind was abuzz with the one word he was sworn to never utter: choice. All his life he had resigned himself to being the next huntsman. The man whose job it was to hunt down animals. He never had any other option…until now.

His father always told him it was the huntsman's job to stand on the side of justice, but how could hunting down innocent animals be just? How could skinning a live a fox's cub be righteous? He never understood that. During the summer at his parents' cottage he spent his nights going through his father's traps and setting the animals loose, he spent his days making bird houses (or bird castles, really) and making sure every bird family had a place to live. That's what he wanted. He never wanted to raise his axe against anything that had a face.

But he knew his father wouldn't approve. No one would approve. He was supposed to be the next huntsman; the man who would refuse to hurt Snow White and instead find a pig's heart to give to the evil queen, the man who would open a wolf's stomach to save Red Riding Hood. He liked the idea of helping people…but he didn't understand why he needed to harm innocent animals to do it.

Hunter stood in front of his parent's cottage, knocked three times and waited. He heard the birds chirping in the trees, he heard the squirrels scurry across the fields. He loved those sounds. When he was a kid, he would get up early just to hear the birds sing. He closed his eyes and allowed the memory to flood him like an open dam; the sun shining on his face, and the smell of the dew on grass.

What Raven did was incredible. Everyone at Ever After High knew she had doubts about her destiny (who didn't?) but never in his wildest dreams did he think she would…it was incredible.

The door swung open, and there stood his father.

"Hunter, you're home." His father smiled. "Please come inside." Hunter's father was a stout man, he was almost as large as a bear, and with a full beard to match. Hunter walked inside and set his bag down by the door. He was only staying the weekend (as all students did after Legacy Day,) but he wanted to be prepared for anything.

"Your mother and sister went out but not before your mother made this amazing spread for us." He spread out his hand and showed a table filled with food, chicken sausage, ham, duck, turkey. Just about every kind of meat imaginable…it made Hunter's heart sink.

"Thanks Dad, but I'm not really hungry right now." He turned his back and tried to keep himself from heaving. He never had the heart to tell his family that he couldn't eat meat. Even the idea of seeing his friends chewing on bacon made him want to sink into his chair.

But what was even worse, was seeing the expression on his father's face. That beam of pride that Hunter had known since he was old enough to carry an axe. That weight of expectation that he never wanted. The next Huntsman.

"So tell me about Legacy Day. You must be so excited. How did you do it? You must have sauntered up there, puffed your chest out and declared your destiny loud enough to scare the birds out of their nests!" His Dad smiled so wide Hunter was afraid his mouth would stretch too far.

"W-well…" the truth was Hunter never got the chance to declare his destiny. The headmaster had cancelled Legacy Day after Raven's act, but even so, he wouldn't have wanted to sign any way. What exactly could he tell his father? He took a deep breath and said.

"Actually Dad, Legacy Day was cancelled."

And his father's smile disappeared.

"What do you mean 'cancelled'?"

Hunter's shoulders shook. He told his father of Raven Queen and how she defied her own destiny. He told him of how she ripped her page, he told her of how she stood proudly on the podium as everyone else looked in awe.

"T-this is an outrage." He heard his father scream. "How could that witch do something so…horrible."

Horrible? All she did was decided to live her life as she saw fit. What was so horrible about that? It was their lives, why did they have to live it the way others told them to? Didn't that defy the logic of living in the first place?

Hunter's father place his hands on his son's shoulder. "Do not worry my son. You shall still take on your legacy as the next Huntsman. All will be right in the end."

But what if he didn't want that destiny? What if he wanted something…different?

Hunter nodded his head. "Y-yeah Dad." He felt his heart sink once more. "Whatever you say."


	3. Briar Beauty

Briar Beauty sat in her carriage, her suitcase next to her. For once in her life, she didn't feel like sleeping. She was too upset, too riled up, too agitated (and not in a fun way, like jumping out of a tower). No, this feeling made her stomach churn; it kept her up last night.

Raven Queen had ruined their legacy day, and she almost ruined their legacy day dance, but Briar would not let that happen. No, it's one thing to ruin a school tradition, but it was another to ruin one of her parties.

Briar and the other Royals were determined to have a good time, no matter what Raven had done…but it was difficult. Even Apple, her best friend forever after, looked like she wanted to run into the enchanted forest and disappear. Raven had destroyed Apple's chance at a Happily Ever After, and for what? Because she didn't like her destiny? Because she was jealous of Apple's role in the story, or simply because she wanted to spite everyone in Ever After? Briar didn't like the idea of sleeping for a hundred years, but that was her role. That's how everything had to be whether she liked it or not. But now that destiny was gone, where did that leave Apple? What if others followed Raven's rebellious nature? What if the daughter of the evil fairy refused to follow her part in the story? What if she refused to curse Briar? Where would that leave the story? Where would that leave _her_? Briar felt that knot in her stomach form again…was this how Apple felt now? Unsure of every little thing? Terrified of that new horizon that the day brought?

Briar took a deep breath…she didn't like that feeling at all.

The carriage stopped in front of her castle, a row of servants waiting to open the door and grab her bags. Normally, Briar hated the idea of coming home. Her mother was so traditional, the Queen disapproved of Briar's carpe diem lifestyle. She believed a princess should sit properly, smile and walk with elegance, not throw dance parties in the palace stables.

Before, tradition was something Briar thought was a nuisance, but now, the idea of the well-worn path was the only thing that comforted her. She stepped out of the carriage, and began walking towards the palace. What would her mother say? Would she even believe her? The Queen was so set on rules that the idea of deviating from them seemed impossible to her.

Briar's heart thumped.

What was she supposed to do now? What was any of them supposed to do? For the first time the future was so…uncertain.

"Your majesty," one of the servants said as he bowed, "You're mother is away on business in the neighboring kingdom, but she will be back shortly."

Briar smiled and bowed, her mother always told her that politeness was expected from her, no matter the rank of the person she addresses. This was good, with her mother gone it would give her more time to gather herself…or freak out more, whichever came first.

Of course Briar didn't even have to tell her mother the news to know what her reaction would be. She'd be shocked, appalled, and then she would call a meeting with every other queen (and then some) to discuss what they were going to do about this change of events. They'd meet, talk about Raven, and the Evil Queen. How she met her end, and how her daughter was placing the whole land in jeopardy. They'd discuss their encounters with Raven. They'd call her father, they'd call Milton Grimm and try to arrange some sort of…intervention. All things that would never work. Raven was too set in her ways, and even worse, others were following her lead.

Briar knew that Apple wouldn't take this lying down, no, a queen's job is to keep peace and order (or at least that was the creed Apple kept spouting). Apple would fix this anyway she knew how, and Briar knew she would be right there with her best friend. This was bigger than just them, this was about all of Ever After. This was about all of their destines, and Briar wasn't just going to sit around while their futures go away from them.

Briar held her head up. Her mother was right. Tradition was the only thing keeping the kingdoms together. It was the only thing that grounded everyone in the simple comfort of familiarity. Raven was destroying that. Threw her one act she had somehow surpassed her mother in wickedness. She had stolen Apple's happily ever after and now she was after everyone else's as well.

It was time to restore tradition, to reinstall the tales they had been dreaming of since they were nursery rhymes.

Raven needed to be stopped…one way or another.


	4. Cedar Wood

The one good thing about always telling the truth was that you could never lie to yourself. At least that's how Cedar Wood saw it. Ever since she was carved her father always dreamed of her carrying on the family story. Becoming a real person, being able to cry, and feel, and be. Cedar didn't mind becoming real. She didn't mind lying (even though she had no interest in it), but she didn't like the idea of not being able to be her own person.

Her father always told her that being a real person was a dream come true for all puppets. You could go where you want, be who you wanted, see whatever your heart desired. You were free.

But was she really?

Even though at the end of her story she would be real, she would still be a puppet, dancing to the strings of someone's whims. Just because her limbs were of flesh didn't mean she had any more freedom than when she first started. How could her father not see that?

It didn't take long for Cedar to reach her father's workshop, it was located not too far from the school, across the enchanted forest. It was school tradition for the second year students to return to their parents the weekend after Legacy Day. Some students would return home to a royal celebration in honor of their family mantle being passed. Others would have a huge feast throughout the entire village. There would be updates of MyChapter profiles and the next week the halls would be filled with chatter. The other first years couldn't wait until their Legacy Day…and sometimes Cedar felt like she was the only person who was confused about hers.

She reached her father's workshop and knocked three times. She closed her eyes and waited. There were nights when she and her father would stay up and listen to the crickets sing, and watch the stars above. Her father always looked so humbled when night fell and the stars twinkled overhead.

"Someday Cedar, you'll know what it feels like to be real. To feel the wind on your face, and the rain on your clothes." Her father's skin was as dark as the wood he was carved from, and his smile would sometimes glitter. His smile widened. "You won't be anyone's puppet anymore."

The door to the workshop opened and there stood Pinocchio, tall as a red wood and as sturdy as any cottage. It's strange how one little puppet could grow into such a handsome man (that's what all the townspeople said to them both whenever they went shopping).

Her father smiled. She felt bile rise up into her carvings (she didn't even know puppets could feel that way). She stood tall and proud, she already knew what her father was going to say, and looking deep into his eyes, she couldn't lie to him…even if she wanted to.

"Papa, I know what you're going to say, and yes I signed the book…but that doesn't mean I'm going to follow the story."

And like a chair without a leg, her father's smile fell to the floor. "Cedar, I don't understand."

Cedar walked into the toy shop and place her bag down by the door. "Papa, you've always wanted me to follow your story and ever since I was young I just went along with it because that's what was expected of me."

No, that's what was expected of all of them whether they liked it or not. No matter what their story was, at the end of it they were simply someone else's puppets, dancing to a tune that had already been played.

Cedar told her father of Legacy Day, or Raven's courage, and of her own doubt.

Pinocchio shook his head. "I don't understand. Don't you want to be a real girl? Don't you want to have a Happily Ever After?"

Cedar threw her hands in the air, "Whose Happily Ever After? Papa, how can it be my Happily Ever After if I don't even get a say in it? How am I any less of a puppet at the end of the story than I was at the beginning? I'm just following someone else's idea of who I should be."

Pinocchio placed his hands on his head, too shock from what he was hearing. "But Cedar, sweetie, I-I just…It's too dangerous, those stories are there to protect us…to keep us-"

"Attached to someone's strings?"

What was so terrifying about being free? Her father always told her how wonderful it would be to without strings, but now she realized he had never lost his.

Cedar closed her eyes and tried to remember the sound of the crickets' song; unpredictable, sharp and without direction. That's who she wanted to be. She wanted to have her own story, cut loose from any puppeteer who dared to pull her limbs. Raven's courage, her one act of rebellion solidified Cedar's resolve, that one dream she and her father had wanted since that first Once Upon a Time.

"I won't be anyone's puppet."


	5. Ashlynn Ella

Ashlynn Ella returned to her mother's home, the same place she had known forever. The same empty halls, the quiet kitchens, the same stables, so clean it seemed like nothing was ever there. She had signed the Storybook of Legends, her heart as heavy as the hand she signed with. Her destiny, sprawled across two pages like a story she never wanted to read. But did she really have a choice? Did any of them?

Even when she was a child, her destiny was fed to her. You will work hard, you will be hated, and then you will find true love. Over and over again, she had heard that story so many times she could recite it without even trying.

True love…but was that really true.

Ashlynn knew her mother, how she floated around the castle like a specter, a ghost looking for something that had been lost a long time ago.

"True love Ashlynn. You will get true love."

The dream of every girl, and the hope of every woman, that's what her mother said. But there were nights when Ashlynn would sneak out of her room, and through the halls of the castle, there were days when she saw the heavy looks on her mother's face, as if the world were somehow melting her body. Flesh sagging from bones. There were the evenings when her father came home and kissed her mother's cheek, but Cinderella simply wiped it away while he wasn't looking. There were mornings when her mother and father wouldn't even say so much as a "Good Morning" to one another. No, they simply looked past each other, too tired to care, but too jaded to change it.

True love?

Ashlynn walked through the castle halls, looked at the portraits depicting the story she would be forced to follow. The wonderful pumpkin coach, the beautiful dancing hall, the glass slipper that promised an ending fit for a fairy tale.

A fairy tale she never wanted.

Even Apple White smiled at the thought of Ashlynn's story.

"You're so lucky!" She would say, "You're ending is simply enchanting. You get a prince, and a kingdom, and everything you could ever hope for."

Ashlynn walked through the hallway and peered through the kitchen, the light from the windows pooled over a woman's tired shoulders.

"Mom," Ash whispered, too low for even the mice to hear her.

Her mother was a thing of beauty. Skin so pale, and lips to red, and hair that caught the sunlight. Yet it was that same look, that tired expression, Ashlynn remembered most about her. That promise of flesh sagging from skin like a gown that was too large. That same expression that seemed to say, "What have I done?" That same expression Ashlynn dreamed about when the sun hid beneath the horizon. That same expression Ashlynn saw in her father's limped smile.

What have I done?

She had resigned herself to that fate, a true love that meant nothing, an ending that spoke of lonely nights; a love without love.

Until Legacy Day. That one moment when Raven Queen ripped her life from destiny's grip. She had defied. She had dared. She had delivered herself from her own fate.

Ashlynn felt her skin grow cold just thinking of it. Through that one act…Raven had set them all free. For the first time in her entire life…Ashlynn was no longer trapped. Was that how her mother felt on her legacy day? Trapped into a love she never wanted? And what of her father, what of his crooked smile, and lonely eyes? What of his cold demeanor and empty kisses? Had he dreamed of someone else before he signed his life over to "True Love"?

What had I done? All in the name of true love?

Could it really be true love, when your nights were spent alone? Could it really be true love, when your days were filled with blank stares? Could it really be true love when the chill of winter was warmer than an embrace?

Ashlynn sighed and placed her hands against the door. Apple White's words echoing through her body. "You get a Happily Ever After."

But she didn't want that. She didn't want some prince to place a glass slipper on her foot. She didn't want a carriage made from a pumpkin and drawn by white horses. She didn't want to spend her nights dreaming of someone she had given her heart to. She didn't want to spend her mornings looking back on a life that she could never have. She wanted something real. Something she could wake up with, and hold on to, and kiss good night. Something that would warm her when the nights got too cold, and soothe her when the days grew too long.

All she wanted…

"I love you."

…was true love.


	6. Cerise Hood

Cerise Hood had finally returned home, the only place she could unveil herself without fear, without judgment, without the threat of destiny looming over her. Destiny was always an enemy, a shadowed force lurking in her curtains, or behind her woods. She was the wolf…but every day she felt like the victim.

What was it the royals called Raven, and her friends as they sailed away to the Legacy Day party, the "Rebels"? Cerise couldn't help but smile when she thought of that word. That thing she always was, but could never admit.

"Rebels."

For everyone who moved against the pages of their story. For everyone who defied their Once Upon a Time for a new tale. Her very self was a rebellion, wolf ears under a red hood, a wolf's heart shrouded in red silk, a contradiction within itself.

A rebellion from before the rebellion began.

As a little girl, Cerise was tucked in by her mother and father. They closed the curtains to her room (shooing away the idea of destiny). They sat beside her, her mother's hand on Cerise's shoulder, and her father's eyes flipping through an old storybook.

"Which one do you want to hear tonight, sweetheart?" He would ask, his eyes warm like his beard.

Cerise took the book, and gently closed it. "The story I want isn't in here." Cerise would say, looking to her mother and father. They looked to each other. Cerise's favorite story; The one that defied all regulations, the one that had been kept in the shadows of her hood and cloak, the one that she thought of when day stole away the stars, and she once more had to hide from the light.

Cerise walked into her home, not hearing a sound. Her mother and father must have been gone. Perhaps they went shopping for some Welcome Home Party. It didn't matter. Cerise walked into her old room and gazed at the same curtains she had played with as a girl. They were as green as the leaves she played in.

"Once upon a time," her father began, his voice dusky and dark, "A young woman fell in love with a young man. They spent every day together, in the courtyard, running through the woods, laying beneath the secrecy of the trees. They had convinced that their feelings, as strong as they were, would supersede their destinies. For you see, the two lovers were star crossed, fated to be enemies for all their lives. The young man was fated to eat the one he loved, and the young woman was fated to see her only love die at the hands of her rescuer." Cerise loved the sound of her father's voice. She loved how her mother's skin smelled of wheat at night, but most of all, she loved the feeling of those two together.

"So, the young man and woman were forced to sign their destinies away, for the betterment of themselves and their families…but not before making their promise."

Cerise pulled her knees close to her chest…this was her favorite part, the part that kept the threat of destiny far away from her dreams.

"Their promise that no matter what would happen, they would be together…any way they could."

And so, their day of destiny came, the young man grew up to be the monster that lurked in the forest, and the young woman grew into a beauty, her face cloaked in a red hood that hid her smile. The monster and the beauty smiled, thoughts of their stolen love dancing in their eyes. The maiden went to her grandmother's house, the monster followed. With a heavy heart he devoured his love, and with bitter eyes, the maiden was cut from her love's stomach, and the two ran off together. To a place where no one would force them to relive such a cruel story, where no one would dare follow them. A place where they could be forever together.

And they did. In their own way they fought destiny. The forged their own story and found a way to be with one another.

Nothing was set in stone. Not for them, not for her, not for anyone…not anymore. She sat down at the table. She looked to the fields where she and Carmine played. She looked out her window to the open parries where her father taught her to howl. She looked to the fireplace, where her mother knitted Cerise's first red cloak.

A red hood and a howl…a contradiction in itself, a rebellion since the beginning.

The door knob turned, and there stood her mother and her father. Their eyes wide and expectant, cold and distant, painful and saddened. Her father looked as if he wanted to sink into the woodwork. They knew of her frustration. They knew of her doubt…but now, they would know of her triumph. Of _their_ triumph.

The rebellion before the rebellion.

Cerise smiled. "I have something amazing to tell you."


	7. Blondie Lockes

"That was not just right." Blondie Lockes said as she boarded her carriage home. "In fact, it was the furthest thing from it." It was the day after Legacy Day. The time of reflection and planning. Normally Blondie would pack her Mirror Pad to see if she could get any juicy gossip for her show. Perhaps a new romance had sprung, or maybe a new development was on its way…but this year, the name on everyone's tongue was Raven Queen.

Blondie had never thought of Raven that throughout the school year. Everyone knew her story, destinies to poison Apple White, and then defeated back into the darkness by true love. The perfect ending. Just right.

But now, that ending was not certain. The story had become distorted, the clear vision marred by choice.

"It's not right."

Blondie felt her chest tighten as she scrolled through her friends MyChapter pages. There were statuses of anger, pride, confusion and any other emotion you could type down onto a blog page.

Raven Queen and the Rebels.

Blondie knew her story, she knew her role, she knew the consequences for deviation. Balance was everything. Familiarity the only source of stability.

"Was Raven Queen really that evil? To wreck everything everyone had worked for?"

Blondie looked outside to the changing scenery. Everything was so…contorted. The green trees which needed a touch more red to signify fall. The brisk wind that needed more chill to suit the season. The tart smell of pies that almost seemed burnt.

Nothing was right anymore, it was as if the whole world had abdicated its own place, searching for something else. Why was the world trying to spite her? Why was everything trying to rebel? Why was everything…trying to leave her?

"This isn't right."

The carriage stopped at her cottage, a small place at the end of the road. The ride was too short, nearly two minutes too short. She shook her head.

"This is getting to be too much."

She hopped off and slowly made her way back home. At least now she could be home. At least now she could be protected. In her own home she was safe from the rebel world. The trees who refused to brown, the wind that refused autumn's influence, and the pies that smelled of burnt crust. She was in her own home…where everything was just right.

Except, her home was the one place where everything was always wrong.

"Daddy," she called out as she walked through her door. She looked around her home. The couch was lined up against the coffee table, placing the legs at equal distance from the front door. Just right.

The book shelves were place just near the window so it would glow in the natural light. Just right.

The rugs were aligned perfectly with the halls, so as to line up in the center and lead the eye to the last door of the hallway. Just right.

And yet, Blondie knew everything was wrong. She walked into the kitchen to see her father over the stove.

"Blondie," he said. "Welcome home my darling."

She could almost hear him smiling as he stirred the pot. She looked over to the table. With plates and glasses set all over its top. On for him, one for her, and one for…

Blondie's heart stopped for a moment. They always kept forgetting.

"Hello Daddy." Blondie sat down in her own chair, the one that was just her size and not a foot too tall or too wide. Just right.

She looked over to the empty chair, the extra place her father always made, but no one ever sat in.

Blondie had never known her mother. Her father always told her that a year after she was born, her mother left them both, stealing into the night, and never to be seen again. As she grew older, Blondie's father told her stories of her mother. A woman with gold hair, fickle taste, and a warm laugh.

Stories, the only relics Blondie had of a woman she never knew. When she got older, the story of her mother changed. The questions asked morphed from one form to another. Who was she? Where did she go? When will she be back? Why did she leave?

"Why did she leave?"

But stories were the only thing Blondie had. Every night she had her father read her the story of her mother and the three bears, and every night she went to bed with the same thoughts in her mind.

Just right. It had to be just right.

Was that why she left?

Did she leave because the porridge was too hot?

When Blondie turned two she learned to blow on her porridge until the steam grew tame. Just right.

Did she leave because the curtains weren't straight?

When Blondie turned five, she arranged the curtains until the sun peeked through them. Just right.

Did she leave because the floors weren't clean?

When Blondie turned ten she mopped and scrubbed the floors until they shined like a tiara.

Just right.

If everything was just right…then she'd come back. That's how the story worked…wasn't it?

"Blondie, it is so wonderful to have you home." Her father's smile was so warm, like a sunrise in the spring. Just right.

But now, nothing was just right. Everything was…wrong. Raven ripped her own page out of the book. There would be no happily ever after anymore.

Everything was just…wrong.

"Now she'll never come back…"

"What was that dear?" Mr. Lockes asked his daughter.

Blondie looked up from her stew. "N-nothing Daddy."

Thanks to Raven, the entire world had become wrong, and no matter how many bookshelves she realigned, or how many carpets she straightened, nothing would be right again…

She looked over to the empty chair, and the empty plate that sat in front of it. She felt her mouth scowl, and her teeth clench.

No… she shook her head. Blondie could not allow that. How long had she gazed at that empty seat? How long had she sifted through her mother's story, hoping to gain a small glimpse of her? She would not allow Raven to take away her one chance…

"It will be right again."

She would make sure of it.


	8. Kitty Cheshire

Kitty Cheshire watched as the other students loaded into their carriage to take them all home for the weekend. Students, mostly students whose stories promised a happy ending, looked like they were going to heave their breakfast all over the roads.

Kitty smiled.

Others looked as if a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

Her smiled grew even wider. The school was in utter chaos, something she had never seen before…not since Wonderland.

Her Cheshire smile faded at the thought.

Wonderland…

She closed her eyes and vanished.

Ever since Raven Queen first appeared in Ever After High she had been causing waves. Everyone expected her to follow her destiny and become the next Evil Queen, the black hearted monster who would work to ruin everyone else's story.

But instead, she had done something far worse…or far better.

After Legacy Day the school looked as if it were going to turn into itself. Royals were crying, princes were running around with their crowns flying everywhere, and common characters with no large role in their story looked like they were going to dance in the halls.

The whole world had turned topsy-turvy all because of one little act.

Kitty was almost jealous she hadn't done it herself. Her father would be proud of this…this chaos. Growing up, Kitty was taught one simple truth, keeping things interesting is more important than anything else. How boring would the world be if everything just made sense? How pedestrian would the land become if everything moved like clockwork. Her destiny was to be the mischief maker, the trickster, the one who sits atop a tree and smiles like a cat playing with its food.

And yet with one small gesture Raven had outdone her completely. In fact, she might have even outdone her father, and his father. There was nothing more mad than a defiance, nothing more wondrous than a new start. Nothing more glorious than a world that had lost its balance and was spinning too hard to stop. Something her father would approve of.

"Well Raven, I am impressed."

Kitty looked around her home, a small house that sat atop a tree, just outside of the school. She sighed at the humble surroundings, a small couch that had been scratched up, a heavy rug that laid against the door like a dead animal, and a large painting that stood on the wall. Something her father stole from the Red Queen many years ago.

"You always did like to live dangerously father."

Father, how was he? Did he think of her? Did he miss her? Could her father even remember who she was?

She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her shoulders, just like her father used to do when she was little. When the Evil Queen poisoned Wonderland with that spell, she and many of the other Wonderland children had to flee through the mirror. She didn't want to leave her father, she didn't want to leave her home, but she didn't have a choice.

"Go Kitty, you're more important that I am right now."

Her father nearly shoved her through the portal, but not before holding her one last time, his hands squeezing her shoulders, and his lips kissing her forehead. With one might thrust Kitty fell to the other side, safe from whatever wickedness wished to claim her. His voice still hung in her soul.

"Remember everything I've taught you."

There were nights when Kitty awoke, the faint twinge of her father's words dancing in her mind. Keeping things interesting was her role…no, it was her father's last wish. The final thing he wanted before his mind was engulfed in a wicked spell.

"Keeping things interesting."

When Kitty had heard of Raven's reluctance to follow her role she felt…intrigued. Never before had anyone dared to rebel. Never before had anyone dared to defy their own destiny.

Not even Kitty had imagined such an act. But what happened after, that delicious chaos, the confusion…the madness that swept the school was like a holiday.

A deed her father would be proud of.

There were factions beginning to form within the school. The royals, who wanted to keep destiny as it was, and the rebels who wanted to change destiny. The rebels, the mischief makers, the tricksters who tempted fate. They kept things interesting.

Kitty didn't care one way or another, what would happen and who would sign what. All she wanted was to honor her father's words. When she closed her eyes, she saw his face. In the quiet of the morning, she heard his voice. In the cold of the dusk, she felt his warmth.

"Daddy."

She stood outside and watched as the last students made their way to their homes. The world was slowly turning to daylight, a new story was beginning.

"I'm going to make you proud."


	9. Lizzie Hearts

Pride was the one thing Lizzie Hearts had left. She had lost her home, her mother, and now, her destiny. Raven was just like her mother; thoughtless, callous, and without remorse for any of her actions.

The apple never falls far from the tree. Wasn't that the saying in Ever After?

When Lizzie had heard of Raven's reluctance to follow her story, she was furious. There were students who had sympathized with the future evil queen; there were students who rose with her against the idea of destiny. All Lizzie saw was another attempt at taking away what belonged to so many people. Just like her mother had stolen away Lizzie's home, Raven was now trying to steal away her destiny.

Growing up, Lizzie learned that a firm hand was the only way to keep control. Her mother never let her forget that.

"Always remember my daughter, never allow anyone to question you or your skills. When they question they begin to doubt."

Her destiny was to rule over Wonderland with a rugged eye and a steel heart. Her job was to ensure Wonderland. Her purpose was to keep its grounds pure.

Pride was what kept her head high, and pride was what kept her spirit strong after her home was poisoned. She ran through the castle halls, guards by her side every step. She could not look back, she could not waver. Those were her mother's words.

"But can't you come with me mother?" She asked. The land was becoming too dangerous; surely a queen should not be subjected to-

"No my daughter. I shall remain here in my kingdom with my subjects."

Lizzie felt a small cry rise into her throat, but she swallowed hard and kept her lips tightened. A queen must not show weakness. "W-why?"

Pride.

Her mother had taught her that trait since she was small, too small to remember, too small to understand. Pride. A queen must not run, that is the mark of the coward. A queen must not waver, that is the sign of a weak heart. A queen must not regret, for that is the sign of a foolish decision. Her mother held herself with all the grace of a flamingo, tall and strong.

"Remember my daughter, a queen must not show weakness. This madness has come to claim our home, but I shall not bow down to it. I shall not allow it to run its muck within our borders. We shall show our pride this day."

Pride in a world that embraced its own madness.

"Mother, come with me. You'll be safe."

Pride in a home that knew no limitations.

"My sweet flower." Her mother smiled and placed a gentle hand against her shoulder. "One day, you shall return to this land, and you shall reclaim it." Her mother squeezed her shoulder. "Now go, and never look back."

Pride in a destiny that was no longer certain.

Lizzie found her way back home. A small house on the outskirts of town. Many of the Wonderland citizens had to find refuge wherever they could. In tea houses, in trees, or in small abandoned cottages that looked too cramp for even a child. This was her life now, this was her home. A small cottage, away from the wondrous croquet games, and red flowers that dotted her mother's gardens. Away from the singing dandelions and dancing birds. Away from the splendor of the castle and the warmth of the Wonderland sun.

Lizzie hated the evil queen for what she had done, and now, she hated her daughter for what she had _not_ done. Through one act, Raven had forced Lizzie and the entire school to question everything they knew about themselves. Ever since Lizzie had escaped the Wonderland madness her one goal was to return to it and restore Wonderland to its rightful wonderlandiful self. That's what a queen did.

But…how could she follow a destiny that was no longer set in stone? Was it even possible that she could become the next red queen? Had Raven hated Wonderland that much? Or was she simply too cold to even care at all?

Lizzie closed her eyes; she felt her throat close up. She felt her eyes grow blind with water.

"No…" she shook her head. A queen must never show weakness. A queen must never show doubt. She would retake Wonderland. She would become the next red queen. She would stop Raven's horrid arrangements where the stood. For her mother, for all of them. She would find a way to defeat the queen's cure. She would find a way to reunite with her mother. She held her head high, pride swelling through her like blood. A queen must never show doubt.

"Raven Queen will be stopped."

And Wonderland would be free.


	10. CA Cupid

Cupid never really believed in the idea of destiny. What was the point of living if your life was already laid out in front of you? What made her shudder even more was their idea of love…or rather the complete disregard of it.

Cupid knew better than anyone that love wasn't something you could just sign onto, and expect to come later. Love was spontaneous. Love was uncontrollable. Love was rebellious by its own nature. You can't chain it to someone's destiny and expect it to obey. That was the problem with Ever After High.

"Everyone was always so busy following their destiny, that they forgot to follow their hearts."

Eros, her father, had told her that love was the only thing that could protect people from their own loneliness. Love of a family member, love of a friend, love of an experience. That's why it was always worth protecting and fighting for.

It was the stuff of fairy tales.

So why, in this world of magic and Happily Ever Afters, was love so scarce? She knew, student after student, had forgotten to listen to what their hearts were telling them and only listened to what the world told them to be. Follow your story. No exceptions.

She hated it.

She hated every part of that philosophy, every inch of that ideal chipped away at what Cupid knew was most important. Love for the sake of loving. Love for the sake of finding that one person who gave your heart song. She closed her eyes and smiled. That's what love was.

Cupid knew of Apple White and Daring Charming. How they followed their story with no thought to their own feelings. Apple did not care for Daring, at least, not in the way she would like to, and Daring was the same way.

There was no passion for each other, just the motions of a destiny that was planned for them. That's not love.

Briar Beauty was content to wait for someone who may never come, all for the sake of destiny. That's not love.

Hopper may have feelings for Briar, but Cupid knew that the young prince would abandon his feelings if it meant his own story was in jeopardy. That's not love.

Cupid looked onward as the students of Ever After High made their way to their homes. Legacy Day was over, but that did not stop the lingering eyes, and the quickened heart thumps that passed between each student as they said goodbye. Cupid knew those looks too well.

Cupid knew of Hunter's feelings for Ashlynn, she knew of Ashlynn's fear of false passion. She knew of the stolen glances in hallways between students who could never be together. She knew of the secret whispers, and love affairs, jeered at as if they were crimes. It was ironic in its own way, that for True Love to be achieved, real love must be lost.

Those whispers made her ill. Thoughts of forgotten love notes and closed hearts made her hands shake. How could this be anyone's destiny? To live in a world where love was a rebel act that shook the walls and scared the people?

By her very nature, Cupid was an outlaw in this world of determined paths.

With a swift wave of her hand, Cupid had returned to her own home. It was tradition for students to return to their families after Legacy Day to reconnect with their destines. Cupid was not a fairy tale, but a myth, so she was not bound to the same rules as her classmates. She was free to follow any path she liked.

Cupid walked through the halls of Olympus, her wings floating on the breeze. As a child she was left on Eros' steps. He raised her, fed her, taught her the meaning of love. Taught her of its spontaneity, it's charm, it's power to mend hearts on a whim.

Love was to be embraced.

"Father?"

Eros stood amongst his rows of statues. He always had an eye for the extravagant, and it showed in their home. Curtains hung from every window, and columns filled the halls live guards.

"Cupid, my daughter. How are things at your new school?"

She told him of Legacy Day. Of the idea of destiny, and how Ever After dealt with matters of the heart.

"How could anyone treat love so…flippantly?" Cupid asked.

Eros only sighed. "Sometimes people lose their way. People build walls around their hearts to protect it, and by the time they realize the danger they've caused, their hearts are already trapped in a prison of their own making." Eros rested his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It comes from fear. Fear of the unknown. But my daughter, love and fear cannot dwell within the same place. One must choose."

With those words, it became obvious. The world of Ever After had chosen fear.

But, there was one person who didn't. One person who took a chance and lived life for herself…

Raven Queen.

When Raven tore her page out of the book she had…changed something. Cupid couldn't put her fingers on it, but something was different as she walked down the halls of Ever After High.

As if a locked door had been pushed ajar, revealing a small glimmer of something…warm. Faint and small like the beginnings of a new love.

"Cupid. I sent you to that world for one purpose. Do you remember what it was?" Eros asked.

Cupid nodded, "Yes."

Her purpose was to spread love in all its forms.

"Do you know what you have to do?"

She nodded. "Yes."

But then again, she always knew.

From the very beginning, love was a rebel. A fleeting spirit that refused to bow to any one destiny. Destiny meant nothing, her father had taught her that. The only thing that mattered was what was inside the heart…

"I won't let you down father."

…and she would remind everyone of that.


	11. Hopper Croakington II

Hopper Croakington was terrified. Living part of his life as a frog, Hopper knew what fear was. The world seemed as if it could crush you in an instant, and no matter how much of a front you put on, you knew deep down, you were still scared.

But he always found comfort in the fact that he would return to his human form, and he would be safe again. That was his constant, the one thing that helped him sleep at night when the lakes outside his bed became restless, and the cranes refused to settle. He was safe.

But now…after Legacy Day…that fear came flooding back like swamp water. How could Raven have done something so…horrible? Did she not know how many people depended on their destiny? To them, it was the only thing that kept them together.

Hopper knew his story by heart. Every night his father would come into his room, his shirt flowing like moonlight on the lake, sit down onto his bed, and ruffle his hair.

"You are one handsome prince." He would smile "Even as a frog my boy." And then, ever so lightly, the king would kiss Hopper on his forehead.

A kiss to break the curse.

His father said he was handsome. Hopper wished he could believe him. Unlike his father, who oozed grace and charm, Hopper had never been able to woo anyone. In his frog form, he was charming and eloquent, but ugly to behold, in his human form he was handsome and debonair, but his words flowed from him like syrup on a street corner.

No matter which form he was in, in one way or another, he was ugly.

But that story. His story, gave him comfort. The idea of one girl, a princess who lost her golden ball, would be able to see past his ugliness and love him unconditionally.

"What wasn't nice about that?"

He remembered Briar. He remembered her satin eyes and her brown hair that fell to her shoulders. He remembered her pink lip gloss that shimmered from her face. He remembered how he tried to impress her with his words, how he returned to his frog form in the moonlight…

"Ew."

And how disgusted she was when his other form came to light. A frog who spoke of poetry.

Hopper boarded his coach and began his journey home. Past the towns and forests and into the kingdom his father ruled. Hopper looked out the windows of his carriage and stared in awe of the townspeople who took notice of his arrival.

"Prince Hopper, you have returned!" He heard someone shout.

"Your majesty, welcome home." Another called

He sunk into his seat, he wasn't used to that kind of attention. There were royals at school who simply glowed when others commented on their status, but Hopper was not one of them. His carriage made its way to his home, and the horses finally trotted to a stop.

"Welcome home your majesty."

He hopped off and walked his red carpet to the front door.

What was he supposed to tell his father? His destiny was in danger all because Raven Queen did not like what her role was. That was unheard of!

Hopper heart began to crash against his chest. If Raven could choose not to be evil, didn't that mean someone could choose not to love? What if the princess from his story, the one thing that gave him the courage to face each day, did not love him either?

His father always told him that someday he'd meet a girl who would love him for who he was, not for how he looked…but what if he was wrong? Thanks to Raven's actions, anyone could choose to be anything they wanted. What if the one person who would smile at the sight of his long tongue and green skin, and the one person who would kiss him despite his lack of eloquence…chose not to?

Had those stories his father told him, about love regardless of looks, all been a lie? Ever since Legacy Day, he felt as if he were stuck as a frog and the entire world was now some dangerous trap, waiting for him to hop out of his hiding place and into its jaws.

"Hopper my son? What has you so down?"

Hopper looked up, through his own wandering he found himself in his father's throne room, the place that would one day be his.

"…father."

King Croakington smiled and ruffled his son's hair. "How has your Legacy Day been? You must tell me all about it."

Hopper tried to open his mouth, to explain all that had happened. Raven. Choice. The fears that kept him up at night.

"Father…I…it…"

But his tongue was tied. What kind of a prince couldn't even speak? What kind of a ruler was too shy to even walk up to a girl and kneel to her? His father told him he was handsome. The prince who defeated the spell and became as dashing as anyone could imagine. So, why didn't he feel that way? When the girls looked his way, he wanted to hide into his room, as if they were cranes ready to devour him.

His father only smiled. "Worry not my son. We shall speak of those matters another time. Come, you must be famished. I've had the servants prepare a meal for us." The king began to turn away-

"Father?" Hopper began, his throat beginning to clear. He rubbed his arm with his hand. "Do you really think I'm handsome?"

A kiss. That's all that was needed to break the spell. His father told him that truth every night.

The king walked over to his son, and placed his hand onto his shoulder. "My handsome little frog prince." The king bent down and lightly kissed his son on his forehead, just like he used to when Hopper was small.

A kiss to break the curse and drive the darkness away.

"You are the most handsome prince there is. Your story even proves it. A princess will kiss you and all will be well." The king smiled and ruffled his son's hair. "Believe me."

Hopper sighed and felt his body grow numb. He wished he could.


	12. Madeline Hatter

All the best people were mad. That was a philosophy Madeline Hatter lived by. When her father poured tea into flower pots, she squealed with delight. When Tweedledum and Tweedledee rhymed, one after the other, she sat down and took notes.

Madness was what she loved about Wonderland, but what she loved most of all…was change. She loved how easy it was to change white roses to red. She loved how simple it was move from one place to another. She loved how the seasons moved from one form to the next, and she loved how Riddlish changed its meanings.

And she loved the idea of change. So when Raven grew concerned about where her story was headed, Maddie felt as if the world was about to experience the biggest change it could ever imagine…and she couldn't have been more excited.

When the Evil Queen poisoned Wonderland, her and her father had barely escaped with their senses intact. In the wiggle of a pig's nose Maddie had lost her home, her world, and everyone who dwelled there. She had a choice, she could look back at the world she knew and wish to return to it…or she could change.

"Change. What a Tea-rrific idea."

She would dwell in sadness of a land she had lost, or she could embrace the enchanting new world that was now her home. It was all a matter of change.

Change.

Why, the very sound of the word made her hat hop from her head.

Change.

Legacy Day was over, but from the very beginning Maddie knew Raven would be the one to blaze a new story. Others in the school grew weary of Raven's rebellion, they grew worried of Raven's actions. They said she was mad. Maddie only smiled.

"All the best people are mad. Didn't they know that?"

Every year after Legacy Day the second year students had to journey home to reflect on their destiny. It was the same thing every year…what fun was that? To do the same thing every year? What sense did that make?

"You sure everyone's gonna be alright?" Raven as she looked around at the leaving students. Every person glared at her as if she were a witch, or patted her on the back as if she were a spellebrity.

Maddie jumped up and down. "Of course they'll be alright!" Thanks to Raven, everything was different. People questioned. People wondered. People explored what they could be rather than accepting it with no thought. It was becoming a little more like Wonderland with each passing day.

A change that Maddie could not be more thankful for.

She walked home on her hands. One palm in front of the other, until she found herself outside her father's tea shop. The place she had stayed before the school year had begun.

"Daddy! I have some wonderlandiful news!"

Her father sat on the table, drinking his tea from a shoe, and gazing at the closed curtains. Maddie giggled, her father always knew the best way to drink tea!

"What is it my pumpkin?" He said. "You must tell me how your Legacy Day was, and what of your friend Raven?"

Mr. Hatter knew of Raven's dilemma. He knew of her reluctance to follow the story she was assigned. She wanted change.

Maddie pulled up a stool, and poured herself some tea into a shoe and sipped.

"It was enchanting. Raven did it!" She nearly shouted.

In one swift motion, Raven had changed everything for what it was to what it is now. Maddie told her father of Giles Grim, of the secret library, and of the party she and the rebels had crashed.

"Rebels?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes. That's what the Royals called us. Me, Raven, Cedar, Cerise, Cupid, Hunter , and anyone else who dared to not follow their paths. Isn't it amazing?"

Her father smiled. "Why, I don't believe I could have said it better."

Maddie liked the idea of being the next Mad Hatter. She loved it. But that didn't mean she should be bound to it forever, no should, and even still, there was nothing saying she couldn't decide to be the Mad Hatter at another time.

Wasn't that the great thing about choice? You could be who you wanted anytime you wanted!

"Daddy, you should have seen the Royals after Raven ripped her page out. Some even called her impossible!" They both laughed at the thought.

Being impossible was like being incredible! Impossible was the only thing worth being, wasn't it?

"Each person said us 'Rebels' were mad."

Mad. It was madness that drove knights to venture out onto quests. It was madness that inspired a man to create a puppet who would one day come to life. It was madness that inspired a boy to pull a sword from a stone.

Cedar was mad. Hunter was mad. Cupid, Cerise and Kitty were mad. She was mad.

Raven was mad; perhaps the maddest of them all.

Maddie took one last sip from her shoe and giggled.

"All the best people are mad."


	13. Daring and Dexter Charming

"Dexter, how could you even say that?"

"What? What is so wrong with choosing for ourselves?"

"Because it's not the way things are done. She put us all in danger."

"But you're fine. Everyone's fine. In fact, everyone's better than they ever were!"

Dexter and Daring Charming had been arguing all the way home. From the moment Dexter had took his last look at Raven Queen, and the moment Daring saw Apple off, they had been at it.

"Dexter, how could you be so…stupid?" Daring began to shake in his seat. He saw Raven tear her page out of the Storybook of Legends. He saw Apple's face go pale as Raven had denied her own story. But…Daring was safe, he had signed the Storybook before Raven's little tirade, so he was safe…wasn't he? Of course he was…that's how it works. Right?

"It's not stupid."

The Charming brothers had spent their whole lives together, they were born to be kings, but what did that mean, exactly? Their father, King Charming had always told them, that a king must be ready to face all challenges, and a king must be willing to think of his subjects, no matter the cost.

Isn't that what Daring was doing? Raven's actions put all of them at risk. It was a miracle no one had disappeared. Think of it, a world without him, or Apple, or the Dwarfs…was that what Raven really wanted?

Dexter did his best to live up to his father's words. Think of everyone, not only yourself. Well, Dexter knew there were others who doubted their legacy. Did those people not count? Did the students who tried to hide from their legacy mean nothing to anyone? It was a king's job to watch over all of his subjects, not just the ones who had a happy ending. What Raven did…it was the most incredible thing he had ever seen. Grander than his father's stories of facing dragons. Grander than his brother's deeds of bravery…Raven had defied her own fate.

Daring shook his head. While Apple's fate might have been in jeopardy, his was perfectly fine…after all he signed the book. He was fine.

He was fine.

It didn't take long for the carriage to reach their home. A grand kingdom right in the center of Ever After. This was where Daring and Dexter had grown up, the place where Daring learned to use his sword, the place where Dexter learned of his father's stories. The place where they had become who they were, and the place where they would change.

After Legacy Day, Dexter had noticed his brother had been acting strange. When any girl fell down, he would rush to her side and take her in his arms, saying "I've saved her!" Perhaps a little too loudly, as if he were trying to prove something to himself.

Daring had noticed his brother changing with each passing day. Where Dexter had been shy, he had grown bold. Where Dexter had been timid he had grown strong. Daring couldn't even remember the last time Dexter had _argued_ with him. This was all Raven's doing, she had convinced everyone at school to deny who they were, and her influence had even taken hold of his brother. That witch.

They hopped off the stage coach and made their way to their castle. Treading carefully over the carpet (the servants were always adamant about tracking in dirt). Their father would have to hear of this. They walked to the throne room, the place that they feared to wander as children. Upon a large throne, sat King Charming. If he were to stand he would tower over the both of them, he'd even tower over Headmaster Grimm.

"Father." They both said as the bowed. The first rule of talking to their father, was to bow, and then wait until he spoke.

"My sons." King Charming had the voice of a lion, he could even be heard by an army during the most fierce battle. He stared them down, his eyes the color of the sky. They knew what he wanted. He wanted news of their Legacy Day.

"Father," Daring began. "There has been…an occurrence at school."

King Charming leaned forward. "What do you mean."

Daring closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He spoke of Legacy Day, of Raven Queen, of her…defiance, and with each word Daring spoke, Dexter felt a smile form on his face. What was that feeling bubbling up inside of him like a wizard's potion? Was it pride? Was it excitement? Daring spoke of ruined destiny and irrevocable chaos, but Dexter knew it by a different word.

He knew it as freedom.

"B-but you have nothing to fear father," Daring said as he thrusted his chest out, "I already signed the Storybook of Legend before the witch could commit her act. So my destiny is already safe." Right?

King Charming leaned into his chair, he turned to Dexter, as if to say, "Is this true?"

Dexter nodded.

The King narrowed his eyes. "Leave me. There is much I must contemplate."

And with that the boys bowed and left their father's chamber.

"There, Father will see to it that Raven is summarily punished." Daring said.

"Raven did nothing wrong, Daring."

Daring scoffed, "She placed our destinies in danger. And for what?"

"Well, didn't you say you're destiny is fine? I mean you did sign the book right?" Dexter asked, his voice filled with a sarcastic undertone.

"W-well of course!" Daring felt the back of his neck grow hot. "I-I'm fine. But it's Apple and the others that I fear for."

Dexter rolled his eyes. Their father was powerful, but he knew, just as well as Daring, that there was nothing their father could do. He couldn't make Raven follow her destiny, no matter what promises her made, or what threats he spoke of. Raven was willing to risk vanishing forever, just to change her fate.

To change all of their fates. To give them a choice. Dexter felt himself smile, there wasn't anything anyone could do.

The two princes walked down the corridor to their old rooms. One felt his body grow numb with the thought of a destiny that was denied. The other felt his heart pound at the idea of a new chapter that had not been seen.

A brand new chapter was starting.


	14. Raven Queen

She had done it. Raven watched as the students of Ever After High made their way to their carriages. She saw Apple White shudder as she rode off. She saw Briar Beauty glare as she passed. She felt Cedar pat her on the back as she made her journey home. She saw Cerise smile at the thought of a new story.

"Raven?"

Raven turned to see Maddie Hatter smile. "Don't worry. Everyone's gonna be fine!" And with that Maddie wrapped her arms around Raven, and began to walk home on her hands.

Raven Queen, daughter of the evil queen, had done it.

She had defied destiny.

Ever since she was small, her mother had always told her she would be destined for great things. She would be the one to bring chaos to Ever After. She would be the one the change the lands forever. But the scary part was…in a way, her mother was right.

Raven didn't mean to change everyone's Legacy Day, she just hated the feeling of being trapped. Apple wanted her to be evil. Headmaster Grimm wanted her to be evil. Her mother wanted her to be evil.

Did what she want not count at all?

Raven sighed as the last student made their way home. Legacy Day was over, but now, no one was sure of anything. Raven didn't know whether to be happy, or afraid. What was going to happen now?

She glanced over to the right of her. Headmaster Grimm seemed to glare at her with all the anger he could muster. She smiled. He couldn't control her anymore. No one could.

She took a deep breath, raised her hands, and began to open the mirror portal to home.

That morning, as Raven came down for breakfast, the halls where filled with people who did not want to see her. Every face she saw glared, every person she greeted turned away. Just like in the beginning, she was alone…

"Raven?" There stood Maddie, and Hunter, and Cedar, and Cerise, and Cupid, and Kitty, their eyes filled with joy at the sight of her.

…or, maybe she wasn't so alone anymore.

"Rewrite, ignite, restart."

The unwritten page was terrifying, but what was more terrifying was what her mother would think of her actions. Would she be angry that Raven had denied her legacy, or thrilled that she had stolen everyone else's Happily Ever After.

Apple's words kept ringing in her ears. "How could you be so selfish?"

All she wanted was the chance to be her own person. What was so wrong about that?

In a flash of light, Raven arrived home, she felt her stomach twist inside of her. She hated traveling by mirror. Her home had not changed in the weeks she had been away. It still glowed with a dark tint, and the doors still creaked when she pushed them open.

"Dad?" She called. Her voice echoed through the empty castle. He must be out. Perhaps word had gotten to him about Raven's defiance. Perhaps he was called away to the other kingdoms to speak on Raven's behalf.

She shook her head. This was the place she grew up in. She remembered the cold rooms, she remembered the dinner parties her mother hosted, she remembered the goblins and demons that used to fill these halls every night.

And she remembered how she wanted nothing to do with that world.

But, it never felt like she had a choice. No one had a choice. Not Hunter, who never wanted to harm animals, not Cerise, with her hood hiding her face, not Cedar, who wanted her own freedom, not Cupid who wanted everyone to follow their hearts, not Kitty who looked back to Wonderland with a sad grin, not Maddie who loved change more than anything.

Why was it so bad for them to decide?

Raven reached into her pocket and pulled out a black page. This was the piece of the Storybook of Legend she had torn out in front of the whole school; her page. She clutched it in her hands.

What was she now? She was no longer the future evil that would haunt the land of Ever After, but now she was something else…something worse, or something better?

Was she the hero of this tale, the one who had brought choice? Or was she the villain, the one who had stolen all Happily Ever Afters forever? She took a deep breath. She couldn't tell anymore.

"But that's a good thing right?"

She stared at her page once more. A blank canvas that spoke of an untold future. It was her life, it was all of their lives, the only ones they'd ever get. So, why not live it as their own? Not as the copy of someone else's tale, but as the culmination of their own decisions.

"It's an open book, a road in reverse, a brand new hook." Raven sang. Her voice echoed throughout the empty castle.

"Forget that curse." She glanced down at her page one last time, and let it drop to the floor. The future was unwritten; her life was hers to create. Yesterday was only the first chapter, and her story was starting now. She smiled.

"This is just the beginning."


End file.
